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Nick Mariano's expert catcher (C) fantasy baseball rankings for 2027 drafts. RotoBaller has the industry's #1 accuracy fantasy baseball rankings, projections.
The catcher position enters 2027 with many emerging options. Even though the projected No. 1 option at the position a year ago, Cal Raleigh, was a major disappointment last summer, players like Drake Baldwin, Ivan Herrera, Hunter Goodman, and Carter Jensen have all shown high-end upside and project to be top options heading into 2027. Below you will find our early 2027 fantasy baseball catcher rankings and tiers for roto leagues (5x5 category mixed leagues).
Find out where key catchers such as William Contreras, Ivan Herrera, Dillon Dingler, Gabriel Moreno, Cal Raleigh, Carter Jensen, Samuel Basallo, Will Smith, and others are listed in our early rankings.
The catcher rankings below are specifically designed for traditional roto leagues, put together by RotoBaller's lead MLB forecaster Nick Mariano. We're also writing fresh articles all throughout the off-season for fantasy baseball prospects, fantasy baseball dynasty, and so much more. Win more in 2027!
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Catcher Fantasy Baseball Rankings for 2027 Drafts
| Tier | Ranking | Player | Position |
| 1 | 1 | Hunter Goodman | C |
| 2 | 2 | Drake Baldwin | C |
| 2 | 3 | Shea Langeliers | C |
| 3 | 4 | William Contreras | C |
| 3 | 5 | Ivan Herrera | C |
| 3 | 6 | Dillon Dingler | C |
| 3 | 7 | Gabriel Moreno | C |
| 4 | 8 | Cal Raleigh | C |
| 4 | 9 | Carter Jensen | C |
| 4 | 10 | Samuel Basallo | C/1B |
| 4 | 11 | Will Smith | C |
| 4 | 12 | Adley Rutschman | C |
| 4 | 13 | Leo Bernal | C |
| 4 | 14 | Ryan Jeffers | C |
| 5 | 15 | Liam Hicks | C/1B |
| 5 | 16 | Alejandro Kirk | C |
| 5 | 17 | Yainer Diaz | C |
| 5 | 18 | Kyle Teel | C |
| 5 | 19 | Francisco Alvarez | C |
| 6 | 20 | Agustin Ramirez | C |
| 6 | 21 | Ethan Salas | C |
| 6 | 22 | Moises Ballesteros | C/1B |
Fantasy Baseball Catcher (C) News
Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
Across 615 plate appearances in 2026, Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin hit .284/.358/.459 with 25 home runs, 79 RBI, 85 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 25-year-old got off to a scorching-hot start to the season before suffering an oblique strain in mid-May that sidelined him for about a month. Baldwin struggled upon his return, hitting just .063 across 50 plate appearances in June after being reinserted into the Braves lineup.
However, the young backstop bounced back and closed the season strong, hitting .315 with 10 home runs across 296 plate appearances after the All-Star break. Baldwin's underlying metrics supported his production at the plate, as he posted an excellent 50.9% hard-hit rate and kept his strikeout rate to a manageable 21.5%.
Atlanta also frequently used him at designated hitter, both keeping his legs fresh and keeping him in the lineup on an everyday basis. Heading into 2027, Baldwin is in the conversation as the top catcher in fantasy baseball.
William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers announced on Monday that they exercised their $15.5 million 2027 club option on All-Star catcher William Contreras, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. It was a no-brainer for the World Series champions after Contreras was named World Series MVP for both his offensive and defensive contributions in the win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the Fall Classic.
The Venezuelan backstop was one of the best all-around catchers in both the regular season and the playoffs, and he went 8-for-21 with four RBI and two runs scored in the five-game series against the Rays in the World Series. Overall against Tampa, he slashed .373/.448/.588 with three home runs, two doubles, nine RBI, seven runs scored, and even a stolen base in 51 plate appearances.
The 28-year-old will be one of the first catchers off the board in 2027 fantasy drafts after also hitting .270/.341/.417 with a .758 OPS, 18 homers, 94 RBI, and 82 runs scored in 147 regular-season games in his fourth year in Milwaukee. Contreras has hit at least 17 home runs since the start of his 2022 season, his last in Atlanta.
Adley Rutschman, Boston Red Sox
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic writes that the Boston Red Sox failing to come to a long-term extension with catcher Adley Rutschman after giving up a prospect haul to acquire him at the 2026 trade deadline would be "pretty rough." McCaffrey also speculates that Rutschman would likely ask for somewhere around five years and $100 million from Boston. The 28-year-old is set to hit free agency after 2027.
Across 410 plate appearances split between the Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles in 2026, Rutschman hit .242/.315/.426 with 13 home runs, 60 RBI, and 44 runs scored.
Rutschman could significantly improve his market if he can stay healthy for a full season and get his offensive numbers up closer to where they were in his peak season in 2023, when he posted an .809 OPS and 20 home runs across 687 plate appearances. Still, he may want the security of a long-term extension, and Boston could be looking to secure its catcher of the future.
Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota Twins
Catcher Ryan Jeffers received a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer from the Minnesota Twins, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Jeffers has until Nov. 17 to accept it or decline it. Jeffers, who is about to enter his age-30 campaign, has been one of the more productive catchers in baseball in the last few seasons.
The former second-rounder in 2018 from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington played in only 92 games due to injuries in the first half of the year in his seventh season with the Twins in 2026, but he was still very productive, slashing .256/.353/.461 with an .814 OPS, 14 home runs, 56 RBI, 49 runs scored, and a stolen base in 369 plate appearances.
Most players who are extended a qualifying offer end up rejecting it to seek more riches on the open market, but it could be hard for Jeffers to turn this one-year deal down.
If Jeffers turns the offer down and goes to the open market, he will be one of the most sought-after offensive-minded catchers of the offseason. Jeffers had a career-high 21 home runs and 64 RBI a couple of seasons ago in 2024, but he also hit just .226 that year with a .300 on-base percentage.
Who Should I Draft Fantasy Baseball Tool
Not sure who to draft? Use our free Who Should I Draft tool.
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Draft
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Draft tool for 2027 drafts:
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